The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

Yesterday, 2 February, the Holy Father
appointed Fr. Vincent Mduduzi Zungo, O.F.M., as bishop of Port
Elizabeth (area 71,828, population 2,952,000, Catholics 1110,000,
priests 56, religious 138), South Africa. The bishop-elect was born
in Mbongolwane, South Africa in 1966. He took his perpetual vows in
1994. He studied philosophy and theology at the “St. John Vianney”
major seminary in Pretoria, and holds a doctorate in moral theology
from the Catholic University of Strasbourg, France. He has served in
a number of pastoral roles, including parish vicar in the mission of
Hardenberg, master of novices and guardian of the convent of Besters,
professor in the “St. John Vianney” major seminary, provincial
vicar and assistant to the master of postulants, and provincial of
the Franciscans in South Africa. Since 2009 he has served as
definitor general for Africa and for the Middle East in Rome.

On Saturday, 1 February the Holy
Father:

- accepted the resignation from the
office of auxiliary of the archdiocese of New York, U.S.A., presented
by Bishop Josu Iriondo, upon having reached the age limit.

- appointed Rev. Alex Joseph
Vadakumthala as bishop of Kannur (area 4,988, population 2,772,000,
Catholics 50,768, priests 122, religious 692), India. The
bishop-elect was born in Maradu-Panangad, India in 1959 and was
ordained a priest in 1984. He holds a doctorate in canon law from the
Pontifical Urbaniana University, Rome. He has served in a number of
pastoral and administrative roles, including parish assistant in the
cathedral of Verapoly, priest of St. Philomenas' Church, Koonammavu;
official at the Pontifical Council for Healthcare Workers (for Health
Pastoral Care); secretary general of the Health Commission of the
Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI); lecturer at St. Joseph's
Pontifical seminary, Alwaye, India, director of the Cochin Arts
Communications of Verapoly, director of the Society of Medical
Education in North India project, Ranchi; and president of the Canon
Law Society of India. He is currently vicar general of the
archdiocese of Verapoly.

- appointed Msgr. Luis Fernando Ramos
Perez as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Santiago de Chile
(area 9,132, population 5,958,000, Catholics 4,135,000, priests 969,
permanent deacons 318, religious 3037), Chile. The bishop-elect was
born in Santiago, Chile in 1959 and was ordained a priest in 1990. He
studied engineering at the University of Chile. He studied philosophy
and theology at the major seminary of Santiago and holds a doctorate
in theology, specialising in sacred Scriptures, from the Pontifical
Gregorian University, Rome. He has served in a number of pastoral
roles, including prefect of philosophy in the major seminary of
Santiago, vicar of the parishes of “Cristo Emaus” and “Santo
Toribo de Mogrovejo”, official of the Congregation for Bishops, and
archdiocesan episcopal vicar for education. He is currently rector of
the major seminary of Santiago and episcopal vicar for the clergy.

- appointed Rev. Galo Fernandez
Villasecca as auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Santiago de
Chile, Chile. He was born in Santiago, Chile in 1961 and ordained a
priest in 1987. He has served in the following pastoral roles: vicar
of the parish of “Nuestra Senora de las Mercedes” in Santiago;
priest of the parish of “Cristo Redentor” in Penalolen, priest of
the parish of “Santa Clara”, and episcopal vicar of “Vicaria de
la Esperanza Joven”, He is currently episcopal vicar of the western
zone of the archdiocese.